You’re all set to write the guest post that’s going to bring at least a hundred new leads to your website, and then it happens: The dreaded writer’s block.
The best of us go through this at some point or another, and it may come from various reasons – maybe a fear of criticism or wanting to write the perfect post in one shot. [Read more…]
The freelance lifestyle is envied by those who work a traditional nine to five job, but it is rife with myths and misconceptions. In this post, we look at the realities of the freelance lifestyle.
The idea for this post came to me when I got a Google Calendar notification that it was my “last day” at my former company. That was almost a decade ago that I dove into freelancing full-time.
For some reason, I haven’t gotten around to deleting that entry. I suppose it serves as a reminder to take a step back and do think about what has happened between then and now.
Today, the question I have is whether I am rocking the freelance lifestyle or if I’m merely getting by – and I pose the same question to you.
Are You Rocking the Freelance Lifestyle or Are You Merely Getting By? Click To TweetFor many, sticking to the 9-5 is still very much the preferred option. It offers stability and routine. However, for a growing number of people, there are many aspects of working freelance and from home which are extremely attractive.
Working from home offers a great sense of flexibility, allowing you to be your own boss and work around a schedule of your choosing. On top of this, you are fully accountable for your own successes (and failures), which is a liberating feeling for some. [Read more…]
It’s an established fact that freelancing became more popular after the 2008 financial crash, and the US self-employed population reaches 15.5 million today. This trend was led by Generation X (also known as the people who got stuck between the Baby Boomers and the Millennials). As it was shown in a Toptal survey recently, a significant proportion of those who are new in freelancing, followed this route almost entirely for their children.
This would also end the notion that people choose freelancing simply to be their own bosses. The freelance community is being increasingly overrun by family. But what leads to this change of motivation while the freelance economy grows? [Read more…]
Working at home is the dream setup to make money. However, there is a discrepancy between perception and reality.
Anyone who has not had the chance to work at home would, in all likelihood, give an arm and a leg to leave his day job. For many people, working at home is the dream. You don’t have to get up early. You don’t have to brave the traffic. You don’t even have to dress up.
Yes, those things are true, but only to a certain degree. The dream can be real and lived, but there are things that will pull your head down from the clouds in a flash.
At the end of the day, it’s all about understanding what working at home really entails. [Read more…]
Every writer has complained about procrastination at some point. I could be wrong, but even the most prolific writers have had to deal with the urge to put things off. If you think about it, there’s nothing wrong with that as long as you don’t make it a habit.
Additionally, there are ways to procrastinate productively. You can read about that in an article I wrote last year.
Believing that procrastination won’t go away – it will keep coming back – I think that it can be beaten if you prepare yourself for it. So, how do you beat writing procrastination?
Writers get their inspiration by things they’ve experienced and seen, much more so when travel writing serves as their bread and butter. Whether they’re faced with writer’s block, an impending sense of ennui, or even just the threat of an overhanging deadline, sometimes all they need is a change of scenery, a change of pace, or even just the thought of a brand new adventure to look forward to at the end of a freelance writing job. Traveling is one of the best ways to reward oneself while getting the job done, as well as a means of enriching one’s spirit and widening one’s perspective. [Read more…]
With coworking and freelancing being the trend today, it’s no surprise that more and more people start paying attention to their workspace organization. And if it used to be enough to provide workers with tables, chairs, and computers, today everyone treats a comfortable and well-organized workplace as a high priority.
The reason is simple:
A place and surroundings where people work enhance productivity and increase their peace of mind. Hence, one should care about the place of work and setting up a virtual office if they want to stay inspired, motivated, and productive specialists with better results at work. [Read more…]
Working at home has tons of advantages, especially if you’re like me who doesn’t like going out much. While we may not literally wear pajamas while working, not having to always dress up is awesome in my book. There’s also the added advantage of a one-minute commute to work (depending on how far your “office” is from the bedroom).
But there is something to be said about a coworking space.
What is coworking?
A formal definition from Whatiscoworking.com: “coworking” or “co-working,” with a lower-case ‘c’, is a generic word that’s generally used to describe any situation in which two or more people are working in the same place together, but not for the same company.
In essence, you go to a building or office space to do your work with other people around you, whom you may or may not know. These people may be freelancers like you, or they can be people working for the same company renting out a room for a certain period.
With coworking spaces sprouting up all around the country – here’s a list of the top 100 coworking spaces in the US – you may want to consider coworking now and then.
The pros of coworking
The downsides of coworking
Have you tried out a coworking space? Are you using one now? Why not share your experiences?
We’re no strangers to stress, and I don’t think I’m wrong in saying that the stress levels of freelancers may be higher than many employees. On top of getting new clients, keeping old ones, taking care of the family, and making sure your business stays healthy, it’s understandable that freelance writers (could) go nuts.
Then there are the times when there is too much work to handle, but you don’t want to go back on your word and not deliver. There are solutions, yes, but in the long run, the stress can build up to toxic levels. You either lose clients because of poor work, or you get sick and lose clients anyway.
They say when the going gets tough, the tough gets going, and I am the first to agree with this. Sometimes, though, we have to call it a day and give ourselves a break.
That’s when it’s better to go de-stress when the going gets tough – instead of playing macho. It doesn’t mean we’re wusses. It just means we’re human, and we’ve got limits.
So you “don’t have enough time” to stop work, but you know you have to let some of that stress go. Here are easy, simple, and 100 percent guaranteed ways to de-stress (depending on your personality, of course).
Retail therapy has this negative connotation for some people, but it doesn’t have to be like that. If you think about it, you probably have your own version of retail therapy. While some may like shopping for clothes and shoes, others feel like they’re in heaven when buying books.
You don’t even have to leave the house or spend more than you have to if you visit sites like ChameleonJohn which offer discounts and promos from a wide array of stores. Personally, though, I’d get coupons for bookstores and get my bum off my chair and spend an hour or so at the bookstore breathing in the aroma of books. I have a feeling you’re with me on this.
As with retail therapy, pampering takes on different forms for each of us. I like to think that for me, pampering involves the body, mind, and spirit. This means spa time, massages as often as I can afford, and activities such as yoga, which is not only good exercise but also excellent in regaining focus and balance.
Pampering yourself does not need to take up a lot of time and money. Aside from what I mentioned above, think about the little things that can help you feel good – and thus de-stress even if only in little bits.
When was the last time you had your hair cut/done?
When was the last time you went out with friends for a glass (or two?) of wine without worrying about work?
When was the last time you went to the park and just sat there enjoying the outdoors?
For adrenaline junkies, you know what you have to do to de-stress. Go out there and jump off a bridge (attached to a bungee cord, of course). If you can afford an adventure experience and there’s a service offering that near you, then splurge a little and enjoy the endorphins that will blow all that stress away.
The three ways to de-stress I’ve mentioned cover a lot of ground. The list is biased based on my own experiences, so why don’t you share your own ways to de-stress? I’d love to hear some ideas, and I’m sure we could all get some inspiration from each other.
